Spring structure for a ventilating cushion



March 1, 1966 s. BLECHMAN 3,237,216

SPRING STRUCTURE FOR A VENTILATING CUSHION Filed Sept. 21, 1964 2 SheeiS-Sheetj Iowa/razor 3/66 1078 B JMZ/MMH WW N O I H S U c G N I T m March 1, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 21, 1964 United States Patent Office 3,237,216 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 3,237,216 SPRING STRUCTURE FOR A VENTILATING CUSHION Gilbert Blechman, 10 Shallmar Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed Sept. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 397,750 Claims priority, application Canada, June 9, 1964, 904,711 Claims. (Cl. 5-347) This invention relates to a spring structure for a ventilat ing cushion and more particularly to a spring structure of the type adapted to be enclosed within a fabric envelope and used on automobile seats and the like. Difficulty has previously been encountered in anchoring the ends of the springs of intersecting spring structures of the type used for the purpose indicated above and it has, for example, been proposed to wind a coil around the border wire solely for the purpose of anchoring the ends of the springs. This is wasteful as the spring wound around the border wire involves the use of extra material and extra labour. Furthermore it contributes undesired bulk to the edges of the structure. The object of this invention is to provide a spring structure in which an improved method is used for anchoring the springs in relation to the border wire frame.

In accordance with this invention, a spring structure is provided for a ventilating cushion comprising a border wire frame of substantially rectangular configuration to provide side wires and top and bottom wires, a first coil spring having a plurality of sections extending backwards and forwards in a zigzag manner between said top wire and said bottom wire, said coil spring being looped over said border wire at the junction of each section and the border wire, a second coil spring having a plurality of sections extending backwards and forwards in a zigzag manner between the side wires and being looped over the boder wire, the second coil spring intersecting the first coil spring at a plurality of positions spacing inwardly from the border wire, a plurality of inwardly extending crimps formed in each of the top, bottom and side wires of the border wire frame and corresponding with the positions of the looped over portions, said coil springs being tensioned so that said crimps act to position the looped portions of said springs.

In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a spring structure in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation view corresponding to FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a detailed plan view showing one of the positions of intersection of the spring illustrated in FIG- URE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a border wire which is formed in one piece with the ends connected by a ferrule 11. Border wire 10 is substantially rectangularly shaped to provide top wire 12, bottom wire 13 and side wires 14 and 15. A first coil spring 16 has one end looped over top Wire 12 at 17 and consists of a plurality of sections such as 17a and 17b which extend backwards and forwards between border wires'12 and 13 in a zigzag manner at the junctions between each section, such as sections 17a and 17b. The spring is looped over the border wire 13 as indicated at 18. The end of first spring 16 remote from end 17 is integrally connected to a second coil spring 19 by a diagonally extending portion 20 at one corner of the structure. Corner spring 19 has a plurality of sections such as 20 and 20a extending in a zigzag manner between side wires 14 and 15 and terminating in a portion 21 which is looped over side wire 15. Corner spring 19 is also looped over the border wire at the junction of each section of the border wire as indicated, for example, at 22.

Each of the portions of border wire 10, namely top wire 12, bottom wire 13 and side wires 14 and 15, have inwardly extending crimps formed in them corresponding to and engaged by the looped portions such as 17, 18, 21 and 22. Preferably, and as illustrated, the crimps are provided by shaping the entire border wire 10 so that it continuously and regularly undulates to give spaced crests as indicated at 23 and 23a, between which is an inwardly extending crimp 24. It is preferred that the spacing of crests 23 and 23a be less than the diameter of the springs so that the looped portion of a spring can readily be positioned in a convenient crimp and so that even if a looped portion should be displaced from its crimp it will come to rest in an adjacent crimp which is not far removed from its original position.

It is preferred also that the pitch of the springs be equal to or greater than the diameter so that, as illustrated in FIGURE 3, there will be some freedom of movement between the first and second springs at their intersections. In FIGURE 3 there is illustrated coil spring 26 which is part of coil spring 16 intersected by spring 27 which is part of coil spring 19 and it will be noted that spring 26 passes between the convolutions of spring 27 as indicated particularly at 28, so that each of the springs is free to be moved axially or to be extended Without substantial interference from the intersecting spring. This has the advantage of maintaining substantially the full tension of the springs at the looped portions where the springs are connected to the border wire.

I claim:

1. A spring structure for a ventilating cushion comprising a border wire frame of substantially rectangular con figuration to provide side wires and top and bottom wires, a first coil spring having a plurality of sections extending backwards and forwards in a zigzag manner between said top wire and said bottom wire, said coil spring being looped over said border wire at the junction of each section and the border wire, a second coil spring having a plurality of sections extending backwards and forwards in a zigzag manner between the side wires and being looped over the border wire at the junction of each section and the border wire, the second coil spring intersecting the first coil spring at a plurality of positions spaced inwardly from the border wire, a plurality of inwardly extending crimps formed in each of the top, bottom and side wires of the border wire frame and corresponding with the positions of the looped over portions, said coil springs being tensioned so that said crimps act to position the looped portions of said springs.

2. A spring structure as in claim 1 in which the first and second coil springs are integral and connected together by a diagonally extending spring at one corner.

3. A spring structure as in claim 1 in which said border wire continuously and regularly undulates to provide a plurality of positions for the looped portion of said springs.

4. A spring structure as in claim 3 in which the spacing of the crests of said undulations is less than the diameter of said springs.

5. A spring structure as in claim 1 in which the pitch of the springs is at least as great as the diameter of the springs to give some freedom of movement between the first and second springs at their intersections, thereby maintaining substantially the full tension of the springs at the looped portions.

4- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,931,094 10/1933 Suekofi 5261 5 2,801,681 8/1957 Crane 291-453 2,837,143 6/1958 Griffo 5--247 3,146,030 8/1964 Dennison et al 297453 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

10 C. A. NUNBERG, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SPRING STRUCTURE FOR A VENTILATING CUSHION COMPRISING A BORDER WIRE FRAME OF SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION TO PROVIDE SIDE WIRES AND TOP AND BOTTOM WIRES, A FIRST COIL SPRING HAVING A PLURALITY OF SECTIONS EXTENDING BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS IN A ZIGZAG MANNER BETWEEN SAID TOP WIRE AND SAID BOTTOM WIRE, SAID COIL SPRING BEING LOOPED OVER SAID BORDER WIRE AT THE JUNCTION OF EACH SECTION AND THE BORDER WIRE, A SECOND COIL SPRING HAVING A PLURALITY OF SECTIONS EXTENDING BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS IN A ZIGZAG MANNER BETWEEN THE SIDE WIRES AND BEING LOOPED OVER THE BORDER WIRE AT THE JUNCTION OF EACH SEC- 